"Really, Jiraiya, you aren't here to fight me, are you?"
Tsunade scratched her golden hair, feeling a little awkward, then said, "I still have unfinished business. If you want to reminisce, wait until I've dealt with the matters in the Pure Land."
Hearing this, Jiraiya's expression darkened. After a moment, he shook his head and said, "Tsunade, I won't let you do this. Although I was killed by Hyuga Mirai, I hold no personal grudge against him. Still, I've always believed he could bring danger to the ninja world, concentrating power in a single individual."
"Enough, Jiraiya. It seems you're here to stop me. You might be unaware of what's happened in the ninja world, so I'll tell you: the war is over. For the next few hundred years, there can be no more wars. The ninja world is at peace."
Tsunade spoke solemnly. This wasn't just Hyuga Mirai's ambition—it was also her dream and the collective dream of others in the ninja world. Though she often delegated matters to Kabuto, Kakashi, and Shizune, she was far from ignorant.
The unification of the Land of Fire into the Federation was her initiative. Hyuga Mirai only voiced the intent; almost all the details were approved by her, though she had been forced to work tirelessly under Kabuto's pressure.
Tsunade believed the civilians of the Land of Fire now lived better lives than before, with taxes reduced by ninety percent, no oppression, and no threat of war.
Even if she had become Hokage in the past, she couldn't have promised such a life for the people. Now, she had delivered it.
"Jiraiya, times have changed. The things you worry about won't happen. If I had known you'd infiltrate the Suna-Federation so aggressively, I would have stopped you, no matter what."
After a pause, Jiraiya asked suddenly, "Tsunade, did you side with Hyuga Mirai early on?"
"Yes, fairly early, not long after the Nine-Tails incident."
Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya and replied, "I initially wanted to gather intelligence on him, but he persuaded me. Now I think maybe I already wanted to follow him, which is why I joined his side."
"Why? Back then, Konoha suffered heavy losses because of Hyuga Mirai, and you were severely injured in his attack."
Jiraiya asked, unconvinced. If he wasn't mistaken, Tsunade's feelings for him weren't just ideological—they were mixed with something else. From this perspective, he had lost completely, as had Konoha.
Tsunade, showing impatience, said, "Jiraiya, I know the Nine-Tails incident better than you. Even Kushina joined Hyuga Mirai. What else is there to say? The outcome is clear: the Federation is unified, peace has arrived, the ninja system has lost."
"Tsunade, didn't you feel guilty for betraying the village? You are one of Konoha's Sannin. With your ability, if you had stayed to help Konoha, it would be even stronger today."
Before Tsunade could respond, a young Konoha ninja by Jiraiya's side spoke, making her forehead veins bulge in anger.
"Jiraiya, who is this brat accusing me? Can anyone just scold me now?"
Her temper flared, her fists clenching as if she might strike.
Before Jiraiya could introduce him, the young ninja said, "I am Uchiha Itachi."
Uchiha Itachi?
Tsunade immediately recalled Uchiha Mikoto, her expression softening into pity as she looked at Itachi. "Uchiha Izuna didn't kill you? Looks like, whether in the ninja world or the Pure Land, you've been ostracized by other Uchiha. Poor thing."
Itachi replied calmly, "Not at all. A ninja must bear everything, walking silently in the dark. Anyone who harms the village—family or clan—cannot be forgiven. You, as one of Konoha's Sannin, haven't borne your responsibility."
"This sounds familiar… what a pitiful creature."
Tsunade suddenly remembered Hyuga Mirai had said something similar, once criticizing her grandfather. Looking back, such a mindset was indeed flawed. She then glanced at Senju Hashirama and asked, "Grandfather, are you familiar with this saying?"
"Ah? Maybe… a little, haha."
Hashirama scratched his head. The circumstances then were entirely different from now. His ideas sometimes conflicted with Hyuga Mirai's, but Konoha had become history. The Federation might last a thousand years. He felt a little embarrassed, though the village had just been founded and faced threats from Madara and the Nine-Tails—he couldn't be blamed entirely.
"Enough, Jiraiya. I probably can't reason with you. In the end, fists will have to speak. I wonder how much your power has increased in the Pure Land."
Tsunade deliberately evolved her Sharingan from the standard tomoe to the Mangekyō, then to the Rinnegan. With the addition of the Truth-Seeking Balls behind her, she exerted tremendous pressure on Jiraiya and his dozen companions.
Fukasaku on Jiraiya's shoulder said, "This is tricky, little Jiraiya. If I'm not mistaken, the black sphere behind her is like the one behind the Six Paths Sage."
"Those eyes too—the Rinnegan, just like the Six Paths Sage," added Shima. She hadn't died on Mount Myoboku but was killed shortly after emerging by a sudden laser from the sky.
"Everyone, spread out! Find opportunities and support each other!"
Jiraiya shouted and immediately entered Sage Mode. Those who followed him were convinced by the Six Paths Sage.
The first four Kage, the third of each village, fourth Wind and Lightning Kage, the Jinchūriki, Uchiha Shisui and Itachi—all could almost fully utilize their abilities in the Pure Land. The Six Paths Sage had granted them partial "permissions," enhancing their powers.
Even in death, unless completely devoid of attachment like Madara, facing the Six Paths' persuasion stirred them somewhat—they were being courted by the founder of the ninja way.
"I want to use my grandfather's Wood Release, but it seems Susanoo will be more practical."
Tsunade, exuding heroism, unleashed blood-red chakra, forming bones, muscles, armor, and finally a complete Susanoo over 500 meters tall.
This wasn't her full effort; at full power, she could match a Susanoo as big as Thousand Hands, but against Jiraiya and company, such scale wasn't necessary. Also, the lack of light in the Pure Land made watching their movements difficult from height.
"So strong."
Itachi felt overwhelmed. He could use Susanoo, but his ocular limitations allowed only a few dozen meters—Tsunade's towering Susanoo reached his ankles.
"Watch out!"
Jiraiya shouted. The group nearby scattered at top speed.
Boom!
The ground shook. Even Hashirama struggled to stay standing.
Tsunade's strike carved hundreds of meters deep. The third Wind and Water Kage, unable to dodge, were shattered by the Susanoo blade.
Their spirits became scattered starlight, drifting through the space.
Observing this, Tsunade whispered, "Hyuga Mirai was right. The spirits of the dead supplement the Pure Land. That makes things easier."
"Grandfather, I don't need help here. Go check on second grandfather!"
Boom!
Another Susanoo blade intercepted the first Kage trying to stop Hashirama. The chasm, several kilometers wide, shocked those attempting to attack Tsunade.
Being dead now, if they fell again, they'd truly vanish.
Elsewhere in the Pure Land, battles raged. Fortunately, the mech puppets remained intact, splitting into fire squads only upon entry.
"This is disaster in the Pure Land."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo sighed. For the first time, he regretted his stubbornness. He should have intervened when Gamamaru's prophecy changed, avoiding this outcome.
Someone stronger than his mother appeared. She merely sought chakra; this person sought the entire ninja world.
As Hagoromo surveyed the battles, a Truth-Seeking spear shot toward him at lightning speed. He summoned a protective sphere to block it.
The clash produced a violent shockwave, fluttering his clothing.
Hyuga Mirai appeared before Hagoromo, one hand stabilizing the spear, the other radiating golden light, sharp enough to slice anything.
Hagoromo instantly formed Susanoo, followed by defensive Truth-Seeking Ball transformations.
"Golden Blast!"
Hyuga Mirai pushed forward; the golden light became countless blades, piercing Hagoromo's Susanoo in an instant, the force flinging him kilometers away. Only when the impact subsided did Mirai regain composure.
"Soul Strike? Is this a Mangekyō ability or something learned in the Pure Land?"
He shook his head. His soul's resilience saved him; others might have been shattered.
"Spiritual Clone Technique!"
Mirai split a spirit body within himself for defense.
He didn't waste words; as enemies, their conflict ended only with one side's annihilation.
"Combine Taijutsu with Rinnegan techniques and Gray Bone Massacre."
Preparing tactics, Mirai covered himself with three Truth-Seeking Balls for light defense, one in his left hand glowing gold, ready to form blades. His other hand could grow Gray Bone Massacre at fingertips, palms, or elsewhere.
Other techniques were less effective; these two were the most lethal.
Bang!
Mirai vanished, generating a massive sonic boom in the Pure Land, reappearing before Hagoromo.
He sensed Hagoromo's keen perception and strong chakra, leaving no room for restraint. Mirai's overflowing Sage chakra alone made creatures tens of kilometers tremble.
A master of Taijutsu, before becoming a Six Paths, Mirai had never neglected gravity training. Every strike troubled Hagoromo. Even with Pure Land-enhanced perception, Hagoromo's slower reflexes put him at a disadvantage.
Especially when Mirai's golden sphere and emerging Gray Bones forced Hagoromo to split his attention.
At this evolutionary level, conventional methods rarely kill. Hagoromo and his brother once joined forces to seal Kaguya, requiring prolonged combat with Sage techniques barely effective.
Against Mirai, even Sage techniques were insufficient; Hagoromo's speed allowed constant counterattacks.
Unless he wielded Tsunade-level ocular power—instantly activating techniques wherever he looked, faster than Itachi's Amaterasu—escape was impossible.
Bang!
Boom!
Rumble!
Their clash shook tens of kilometers of the Pure Land. Despite absorbing its energy, Hagoromo struggled, falling behind.
From occasional resistance, he gradually felt the pressure, as if facing a mother—stress mounting relentlessly.
The battle raged an entire day.
Though time was irrelevant in the Pure Land, Mirai felt the toll on his chakra. Even with backup Tailed Beast chakra, prolonged consumption was unsustainable.
'Time's about up.'
Mirai resolved, unleashing his chakra. A spirit body shot into Hagoromo, briefly stunning him, replicating Mirai's initial encounter.
"Golden Blast!"
"Gray Bone Massacre!"
As the spirit entered Hagoromo, Mirai used both techniques. The Golden Reincarnation Blast cleaved Hagoromo in two; Gray Bone Massacre pierced him, instantly corroding and decaying his body.
"Ugh!"
Hagoromo groaned, swinging his Truth-Seeking Balls in retaliation. Before healing, Mirai kicked him, splitting him kilometers apart.
Mirai then used Shadow Clone Jutsu, attacking from both sides. By now, victory was clear; Hagoromo's defeat was sealed.
"So this is the key to controlling the Pure Land?"
Mirai held a grayish translucent crystal fallen from Hagoromo. With it, he could sense events throughout the Pure Land and even observe the ninja world.
The Pure Land was the planet's "reverse side."
"If I ingest it, I'd fully master the Pure Land, but that's not for me."
Mirai considered that consuming it would bind him to the Pure Land, whereas he planned to explore the universe, unwilling to be tethered to one planet.
Yet even holding the gray crystal allowed him to wield most of the Pure Land's power.
"Most wars are over… over thirty casualties. That damn Otsutsuki Hagoromo!"
Mirai sensed everyone was safe—Kiyo, Ayaka, and Kurenai—though Tsunade was still fighting. After a whole day? Is she playing around?
(End of Chapter)
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